Import Duty on Backpacks
US general (MFN) import duty rates for Backpacks range from 3.4%–20% across 13 HTS lines (e.g. HTS 4202.92.08 at 7%), per USITC HTS release 2026HTSRev22. This is a planning estimate: Section 301, Section 232, AD/CVD, quotas and MPF/HMF are excluded and must be added separately.
Backpacks share a subheading with bottle bags and jewelry rolls, and the rate inside that subheading runs from 3.4% to 20%.
HTS lines and general duty rates
Read from the USITC Harmonized Tariff Schedule, release 2026HTSRev22. USITC HTS, verify line 4202.92.08. Showing 12 of 13 lines in this group, including the lowest and highest rates.
| HTS code | Description | General rate | Special rate (FTA) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4202.92.08 | Other | 7% | Free (AU,BH,CL,CO,E,IL,JO, KR,MA,NP,OM,P,PA, |
| 4202.92.10.00 | Other | 3.4% | Free (A,AU,BH,CL,CO,D,E,IL,JO,KR,MA,OM,P,PA, |
| 4202.92.15.00 | Of cotton (369) | 6.3% | Free (A,AU,BH,CL,CO,D,IL,JO,KR, MA,NP,OM,P,P |
| 4202.92.20.00 | Other (870) | 5.7% | Free (A,AU,BH,CL,CO,D,IL,JO,KR, MA,NP,OM,P,P |
| 4202.92.31 | Of man-made fibers | 17.6% | Free (A,AU,BH,CL,CO,D,IL,JO,KR, MA,NP,OM,P,P |
| 4202.92.33 | Of paper yarn or of cotton; containing 85 percent or more by weight of silk or silk waste | 17.6% | Free (AU,BH,CL,CO,IL,JO,KR, MA,NP,OM,P,PA,PE |
| 4202.92.39.00 | Other (870) | 17.6% | Free (A,AU,BH,CL,CO,D,IL,JO,KR, MA,NP,OM,P,P |
| 4202.92.45.00 | Other | 20% | Free (A,AU,BH,CL,CO,D,IL, JO,KR,MA,NP,OM,P,P |
| 4202.92.60 | Of cotton | 6.3% | Free (AU,BH,CL,CO,IL,JO,KR, MA,NP,OM,P,PA,PE |
| 4202.92.91.00 | Of man-made fibers (except jewelry boxes of a kind normally sold at retail with their contents) (670) | 17.6% | Free (A,AU,BH,CL,CO,D,IL,JO,KR, MA,NP,OM,P,P |
| 4202.92.93 | Other | 17.6% | Free (AU,BH,CL,CO,IL,JO,KR, MA,NP,OM,P,PA,PE |
| 4202.92.94.00 | Cases designed to protect and transport compact disks (CD's), CD Rom disks, CD players, cassette players, and/or cassettes | 17.6% | Free (AU,BH,CL,CO,IL,JO,KR, MA,NP,OM,P,PA,PE |
What changes by country of origin
The MFN rate is the same regardless of where the goods are made. Everything below it is not.
| Origin | Base rate | US preference | What else attaches |
|---|---|---|---|
| China | MFN rate above | No US preference on these codes | Section 301 lists 1-4A apply to most consumer goods on top of MFN; the 2026 forced-labor 301 action adds a further layer. |
| Vietnam | MFN rate above | No US preference on these codes | No Section 301 list duty. The 2026 forced-labor 301 action applies. No US FTA, so MFN is the base. |
| India | MFN rate above | No US preference on these codes | No Section 301 list duty and no US FTA. Forced-labor 301 applies. GSP expired, so MFN is the base. |
| Thailand | MFN rate above | No US preference on these codes | No Section 301 list duty and no US FTA. Forced-labor 301 applies. |
| Indonesia | MFN rate above | No US preference on these codes | No Section 301 list duty and no US FTA. Forced-labor 301 applies. |
| Mexico | MFN rate above | No USMCA line on these codes | USMCA: duty-free when the goods meet the rules of origin and the preference is claimed. MFN applies otherwise. |
Free-trade programs named on the lines in this group: Australia (AUSFTA) (13 lines), Bahrain (BHFTA) (13 lines), Chile (CLFTA) (13 lines), Colombia (CTPA) (13 lines), Israel (ILFTA) (13 lines), Jordan (JOFTA) (13 lines). A preference only applies when the goods meet that program's rules of origin and the claim is made on entry. This page does not estimate Section 301 list rates or anti-dumping duty; enter the applicable Section 301 rate in the calculator yourself and verify current list coverage and exclusions at the USTR exclusion notices.
What decides the rate
The controlling fact is the outer surface material. Man-made fiber textile bodies commonly land at 17.6%; cotton at 6.3%; and some lines in the same subheading reach 20%. A sourcing change from polyester to recycled polyester does not change the rate, but a change from textile to molded plastic does.
Where this goes wrong
Laptop backpacks with a dedicated padded compartment are still 4202.92. A backpack with a rigid molded shell can move to a plastics heading, so check before you reuse the same code across a product range.
Inputs and assumptions
| Item | Value | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Duty rate source | USITC HTS, release 2026HTSRev22 | Read at build time from the official schedule export. The general rate column. |
| Rate range in this category | 3.4%–20% across 13 lines | The spread within one product category is the reason a category average is not usable. |
| MPF | 0.3464% of entered value, min $34.58, max $670.86 | CBP User Fee Table, FY2027. The ad valorem rate is statutory; the floor and cap are adjusted each October. |
| HMF | 0.125% of entered value, ocean cargo only | CBP User Fee Table. Not charged on air freight. |
| Customs value | Transaction value, normally the price paid for the goods | Freight and insurance are not part of US customs value, unlike CIF jurisdictions. |
Questions this page answers
What is the duty on a polyester backpack?
Textile backpacks of man-made fiber commonly sit on the 17.6% lines inside 4202.92. Cotton bodies sit lower, and some lines in the same subheading reach 20%, so the outer surface material has to be confirmed.
Does a laptop compartment change the code?
No. A backpack with a padded laptop sleeve is still a backpack under 4202.92. Only a rigid molded shell can move the article out of the textile heading.
Does this estimate include anti-dumping duty?
No. Anti-dumping and countervailing duty are case-specific and can exceed every other layer combined, so they are outside the estimate by design. The calculator covers base duty, the Section 301 and 232 layers you enter, the merchandise processing fee and the harbor maintenance fee.
Data release: 2026HTSRev22. Content as of November 10, 2026. Found an error? Tell us and it gets corrected.